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mvprehab · 10 months

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Physiotherapy in Sydney

Sydney physiotherapy centres offer premium quality services that address muscle and joint pain. These centres use the latest treatment techniques and practices to help their clients recover from injuries and prevent future pain.

The study used Kimberle Crenshaw’s theory of intersectionality to understand how belonging to more than one marginalized group impacts participants’ experiences. Four themes emerged from the analyses: omnipresent concerns that training will conflict with beliefs; a stereotypically "Aussie" work/student culture; and lack of inclusivity. To know more about Physiotherapy Sydney, visit the MVP Rehab Physiotherapy website or call 0450603234.

Physiotherapists use hands-on treatments such as massage, muscle manipulation, and electrotherapy to treat injuries and improve mobility. These practitioners can also help patients with exercises and stretches. This type of treatment is effective for a wide range of conditions. However, it is important to note that each patient’s needs are unique. Therefore, it is best to discuss a treatment plan with your therapist to determine what is right for you.

Find top rated physios near you on Fresha. Read ratings and reviews left by customers like you to make an informed choice. Businesses can’t pay to alter or remove their ratings, so you can trust the accuracy of the feedback.

MVP Rehab Physiotherapy is located at Level 7/4 Martin Pl, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia. You can call them or send an email to book an appointment. The clinic is open from Monday to Friday. The therapists are highly qualified and offer an outstanding service to their clients.

MVP Rehab Physiotherapy is a premium health partner that helps clients with their physical rehabilitation. They use a network of clinics around the region to aid with their client’s concerns and offer mobile therapists who can assist them with their problems at home. Their physiotherapists are AHPRA registered and will help you with your injury recovery.

They operate two Sydney CBD physiotherapy clinics that are equipped with the latest technology. Their facilities include real-time ultrasound, digital motion analysis, extra-corporeal shockwave therapy, Alter-G anti-gravity treadmills, clinical Pilates and massage therapy equipment. They also provide specialised sports physiotherapy for elite and recreational athletes.

MVP Rehab Physiotherapy provides services in Sydney that are tailored to the needs of each patient. They offer telehealth appointments, Pilates classes, massage therapy, sports injury treatment, and men’s and women’s physiotherapy programs. They also offer services through the NDIS. They are a member of the Australian Physiotherapy Association.

MVP Rehab Physiotherapy is one of Sydney's largest providers of allied health services, including Physiotherapy, Osteopathy, Chiropractic, Remedial Massage, Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine, and Clinical Pilates. Their team of experienced practitioners are dedicated, passionate, skilled and committed to helping their patients achieve their health goals. They offer a holistic approach to treatment, combining traditional therapies with modern evidence-based practices. Their aim is to have their patients pain free and living life to the fullest! They are open 8am - 8pm, 7 days a week! Appointments available via phone or online.

Osteopathy is based on the concept that the body has a remarkable ability to self-heal and many aches and pains will resolve themselves if they are not being held by the surrounding tissues. This is achieved by hands-on techniques, exercise advice and lifestyle guidance.

Physiotherapy is a form of physical therapy that treats injuries and ailments affecting the muscles, bones, joints and spinal cord. Physiotherapists can treat pain, stiffness and movement problems in people of all ages. They can also prevent incontinence and improve quality of life for older Australians.

The university’s Camden campus is located in a rapidly growing peri-urban area of Sydney and hosts lecture theatres, research institutes and veterinary clinics. Its extensive subject offerings include five subjects that are ranked in the world’s top ten, and 28 subjects that are rated highly by the QS World University Rankings. To know more about Physiotherapy Sydney, visit the MVP Rehab Physiotherapy website or call 0450603234.

#physio bonnyrigg #ndis physiotherapy providers #physiotherapy on medicare #physiotherapy sydney #medicare physiotherapy #ndis physiotherapy fees #Physiotherapy rehabilitation #physiotherapy bonnyrigg

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bodyloveacademy · 1 year

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A Beginner’s Guide to Pilates Instructor Certification

Looking for guidance on becoming a Pilates instructor? This beginner's guide to Pilates instructor certification will cover everything from understanding the different types of courses to the steps you need to take to get certified.

The physical and mental benefits of Pilates are becoming more widely recognized and appreciated. Because of this, Pilates instructors are in high demand, and anyone who wants to teach this popular form of exercise can look forward to a rewarding career. If you’ve ever considered taking a Pilates instructor certification course, this beginner’s guide is for you.

To become a certified Pilates instructor, you must first get an accredited certification. Different schools offer different accredited courses, so it's essential to look into and compare different schools before enrolling.

Here in Sydney, there are many accredited Pilates Instructor certification courses to choose from, and they come in various formats, including online and in-person classes.

Once you have chosen the best course to fit your schedule and needs, you can move on to the next stage - preparing for the certification exam. All Pilates instructor courses usually offer comprehensive training programmes, step-by-step guidance, and plenty of practice and guidance from experienced instructors. It can also be beneficial to get extra help in your preparation for the exam, such as by taking practice tests and utilizing study guides.

5 Tips to Enrol for Pilates Instructor Certification

Achieving your Pilates instructor Certification requires dedication, hard work, and commitment. Here are some steps to help you prepare for the next stage in your journey to becoming a certified instructor:

• Find a Mentor: It’s useful to get guidance and tips from an experienced instructor who has completed the same course and can offer advice on exam preparation and study techniques.

• Plan Your Study Time: Ensure you have allocated enough time for your studies. Pilates instructor exams can be tricky and complex, so give yourself enough time to cover all the material.

• Practice Makes Perfect: The more you practice, the better your chances of success. Take the time to become acquainted with the course material, and practice answering questions to know what is expected of you during the exam.

• Take Exam Prep Courses: Many online programs and workshops are designed to help you prepare. Make sure to take one or two to ensure that you are fully prepared for the exam.

• Stay Healthy: Ensure that you maintain your physical and mental health during your studies. Combining studying and physical exercise can be a great way to stay energised, relaxed and focused.

Once you have the required skill and experience, you can apply for the Pilates instructor certification. Make sure to research your options thoroughly, prepare for the examination and gain the skills you need for a successful and rewarding career.

Conclusion

Pilates instructor Certification courses can be a daunting and overwhelming process. However, it can be achieved with proper research, preparation, and guidance. If you’re based in Sydney, check out the range of accredited courses available in your area and take steps to become a certified Pilates instructor.

#Pilates instructor

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winterecho-archive · 4 years

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𝟏𝟓 𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐓𝐎 𝐓𝐀𝐆 𝟏𝟓 𝐏𝐄𝐎𝐏𝐋𝐄 🌞

Thanks for tagging me, @wirefishsims! 💗 ninja edit I was also tagged by @marceltorak! 💗

———————

𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞?

My middle name is Dorothy, named after my grandmother. I used to hate it when I was younger but it's grown on me now, I think it's kind of cute xD

𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝?

I cry all the damn time, at stupid stuff like things I read or watch on tv, so idk. Probably yesterday 😅

𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐤𝐢𝐝𝐬?

I have a 12 year old daughter, the amazing Pandora! 🥰

𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐦 𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐭?

In real life, constantly 😅 I use less sarcasm online because I'm a little afraid of being misunderstood.

𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞?

Their energy 😊 I can usually get a read on people pretty quickly after meeting them in person.

𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐲𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐫?

Light brown

𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐞 𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠?

I love scary movies!! :D

𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭?

Creativity in general. I've always been doing something creative - art, design, animation, sewing, knitting, jewellery making, pottery, music, etc etc. I'm still trying to settle on a speciality. I've been working as an illustrator for the last couple years but have recently gone back to school to learn 3D art and animation. 😊

𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 𝐢𝐧?

Australia, lived in Sydney my whole life (apart from a few months in Canberra and about a year as a child in Zurich, Switzerland)

𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐡𝐨𝐛𝐛𝐢𝐞𝐬?

sims? lol 😂 also other games but really I've only been playing TS4 recently! I also love reading, animation and illustration.

𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐬?

I have a big fluffy black cat called Salem, and two bearded dragons named Courtney and Magma. Also an ancient catfish that my daughter named Juanito xD

𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲/𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐝?

what's a sport? 😂 I go to pilates classes, does that count 😅

𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮?

172cm / 5'6"

𝐟𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬(𝐬) 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥?

Art, Art History and English

𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐣𝐨𝐛?

I don't even know anymore 😅 As long as it's creative, and I'm not super isolated (because I've learnt that's not too good for me) I'd be happy!

————————

I’m tagging @whyhellosims, @silverspringsimmer, @prossims, @starburstshores, @fakeplasticsims, @twistedsimblr, @amuhav, @pebble-sims, @gloomyplumbob, @kymmaisims, @embunen, @simsalea, @nualahliling, @rextreks & @slythersim - optional as always and apologies if you’ve already been tagged! 💗

#simblr #tag game

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explosionmarketing-blog · 5 years

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Nyrie Roos - Local SEO Strategies for Your Business in 2019

For any businesses that wants their website to be found easily by customers that are ready to buy, in their local area, Local SEO strategies are essential in 2019.

Marketing in a geographically defined local area to customers can be a very effective strategy in comparision to other marketing strategies. Over half of all consumers conducting a local search on their computer or smartphone visit a store within a day of their search and 18% of local searches lead to sales. This is where your SEO strategies are critical.

Without question, local search is growing. Mobile searches alone for “where to buy” have increased by over 85% since 2015, and this will only increase as the number of mobile phone users grows.

Despite the undeniable possibilities that optimising for local search offers, many businesses have still not quite come to terms with what they should be doing to tap into and harness this valuable traffic source.

The takeaway here is that if you want to get ahead of your competitors and make the most of local web searches, the time is now. By making local SEO a key part of your overall marketing strategy you can attract valuable local customers, get more sales and have a greater local presence.

In this article, I am going to cover the main steps you need to take to ensure that your website is optimised for local SEO so you can dominate the local search listings and drive more traffic to your site.

What is Local SEO?

The first step for any business is to understand what we’re really talking about when we talk about “local SEO”.

SEO is short for search engine optimization. Search engine optimization is a methodology of strategies, techniques and tactics used to increase the amount of visitors to a website by obtaining a high-ranking placement in the search results page of a search engine (SERP) — including Google, Bing, Yahoo and other search engines. (https://www.webopedia.com/TERM/S/SEO.html)

Local SEO targets searches that have local intent in purchasing. This means that the searcher is looking for something located physically close to them in the local geographic location.

For example, someone typing in “Tweed Heads landscaper” will be looking for a landscaping and maintenance company in the Tweed Heads area. If you’re based in the Tweed Head area, offer this service, and optimise your website well for this keyword and location, you might expect to get some traffic to your website from those searching for this term.

Not all local intent searches will always include a specific place name. This is because Google is very clever at figuring out local intent and so it knows somebody searching on mobile for “wedding cake baker” is most likely looking for a wedding cake baker within a small radius of their current location and so will return listings for wedding cake baker’s in the local area.

So how do you optimise for these local intent searches and take advantage of the traffic they send to your business?

That’s where local SEO comes in. There are many different ways you can optimise your website to optimise and leverage the benefits of local traffic. These are listed below.

Positioning for Local SEO Success and Keyword Research

Before starting with any specific local SEO techniques, it’s critical that you cover all the basics you’ll need to achieve good SEO results.

Local searches, by their very nature target actual business locations. This means that you need to have an address for your physical location and the ability to have face-to-face contact with your customers.

Notably then, if you are a business that sells products or services online only then local SEO will in all likelihood not be a great success for you.

In determining if local seo is right for your business, you need to consider the area you serve, the level of demand and know who your competition is. StreamSuccessCLICK TO TWEET

Some businesses will want to attract traffic from searches located anywhere in their city and the surrounding area, while others will focus on an even smaller area such as a particular suburb or region.

If you know that you would get a better level of demand for the products or services you’re offering in a wider area than your immediate vicinity, you may want to target a wider audience. This may include the entire city, rather than just the suburb you’re located in. This might mean targeting terms such as “wedding cake baker Gold Coast”, rather than “wedding cake baker Tweed Heads”.

Recently, Google started favouring local proximity, so depending on your target market and the keyword search volumes, it may not be worth the effort of marketing to searchers in your wider area. This may be particularly relevant if you’re competing with other businesses that may offer the same products or services at a closer distance. Every business situation is unique!

Once you have a clear idea of your target market, you should do some keyword research to figure out exactly what your local customers are searching for.

There are many different ways to approach keyword research. These approaches go far beyond the scope of this article. Essentially though, you want to come up with a list of search terms with local intent for which you would like your business to come up on the first page in a search by a potential customer.

For example if you’re a physiotherapist in Brisbane you might target terms like:

Brisbane physiotherapist physiotherapists in Brisbane physiotherapy services in Brisbane physiotherapist in (suburb) pilates classes in (suburb) and so on…

Once you’ve come up with a master list of keywords, you can analyse each term to see how much traffic it gets (how many people search for that term each month) and what the competition is like. From a thorough analysis, you can then decide which keywords to target first.

Is Your N.A.P Consistent?

Some of the most vital aspects of achieving success with local SEO are very basic and simple. Things like making sure that your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) are consistent across all your web properties is a must!

NAP citations are used in what are known as local directories. Google and other search engines use these citations as a ranking factor in determining your business’s authority in your local area.

Make sure that your NAP information should be displayed clearly on the homepage of your website, and ideally in the footer of all pages on your website.

When your NAP details match those in local directories, the search engines will intuitively know that both your site and the directory listing are referring to the same business and will reward your business in terms of showing up in local search results.

If there are inconsistencies, the search engines including Google have no way of knowing that the two listings refer to your business.

It’s therefore vital to make sure all your NAP information is kept up to date and consistent across your business presence on the web.

There are various SEO tools you can use, such as Ahrefs, to search for your business and make sure all your NAP citations are correct. Whilst they may have free trials, none are generally comprehensive enough without a paid subscription.

Making Your Landing Pages and Blog Posts Local SEO Friendly

A landing page is a page on your site that’s been built specifically for a targeted group of your online web visitors.

If you’re targeting multiple locations, such as a number of different cities, you can achieve better rankings in the search engines by creating a series of geo-targeted landing pages that are each optimised for certain location-based terms. For example terms, we may use are “Local SEO Brisbane”, “Local SEO Gold Coast”, “Local SEO Sydney” and so on.

However, you must take care to ensure that every page of content is completely unique and not just a copy of the same text with a different city inserted in the blanks.

In one of Google’s algorithm updates called Hummingbird, sites were penalised for duplicated content. Google algorithm updates continue to reward good unique quality content that serves the market and penalises low-quality content that exists for keyword relevance only.

When you’re creating your landing pages take the time to think about how best you can serve your customers and the type of information they’re searching for.

Your business blog should also be keyword-optimised. This should include optimised categories, tags and meta descriptions. Be sure to publish high-quality content on a regular basis is a great way to improve both your general and local SEO and make sure it is optimised on page.

This means making sure that you are using relevant headings and include keywords. Ensure your URLs are simple, well-structured and include keywords and include your suburb, city, and state in the meta title and description tags.

Not only is all of the above helpful for you local SEO, tags provide a preview of your site for the user in the search listings. This means they’re more likely to click through if you’ve written a compelling description and it’s clear that your business has what they are searching for in the local area.

Most SEO experts agree that having good quality and accurate citations (listings in local directories) is vital for local SEO. Google checks these listings to verify that the NAP data it has for your business is correct, and the more high-quality citations you have, the more authority your business appears to have in your industry and geographical area.

Entering your business into online directories can be tedious, but it’s worth making the effort to make sure you have a high-quality listing. Make sure you have a well-written description, a full list of products and services and include extra information such as opening hours, accepted payments, and photos wherever possible.

Being listed in more directories is not only great for SEO, it also helps more customers to find you, as some people may search these directories for businesses directly instead of via a search engine.

What is On-Page Optimisation and Meta Tags?

You need to make sure that your business website is correctly structured and optimised so that the search engine bots can read it well and do what is known as “indexing.” This must be done before considering links and citations for local SEO.

How Helpful Are Local Directory Listings and Citations?

Adding your site to business directories used to be an effective way of getting more links to your site for SEO purposes. The power of these links has been de-valued now in regards to general SEO, but they’re still an important ranking factor for local search.

Optimising Your Google My Business Listing

Google My Business is a listing for your business that shows up in search results when people search for your business name or click through from a list of suggested businesses after conducting a local search. Your listing should also come up in Google Maps.

Your Google My Business listing includes useful information about your business such as your address, telephone number, opening hours, photos, special offers and reviews.

If you want to attract local searches, you must have a Google My Business profile and you should make sure this information is always kept up to date.

According to Moz, Google My Business signals are the most important local search ranking factor, so it’s definitely worth taking the time to optimise your listing and keep building it.

Having a Google My Business Listing also encourages customers to leave reviews, which further increases confidence in your brand and is helpful for SEO. If you would like our free SEO Guide click on the image below.

https://successstream.com.au/your-seo-strategy-guide/

Google My Business Categories Listing Matched to Your Business Service Pages

When you create your Google My Business listing you can choose up to five categories to list your business in and you should choose as many as possible to optimise for SEO and bring more targeted traffic to your site.

Categories help users to find more accurate results for what they’re looking for, so you should choose the categories that most closely align with the services that your business offers.

For example, if you have a burger restaurant, you should make sure your business is listed in both the “fast food restaurant” and “hamburger restaurant” categories.

If you’re not sure which categories to choose, you can look at the listings of your competitors to see which categories they have included their business in and read https://support.google.com/business/answer/7249669?hl=en

Getting Reviews to Enhance Your Rankings

Positive customer reviews can have a huge impact on your business and are a big ranking signal for local SEO. Reviews also help to turn search traffic and views of your business listing into click-throughs to your site and conversions into sales.

93% of online shoppers say that their buying decisions are influenced by reviews and 84% say they trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations from friends and family. We have seen an increase of up to 17% in Google rankings due to online reviews.

For these reasons alone, you should be focused on acquiring as many positive reviews as possible. Be sure to read this article about getting reviews.

Start by setting yourself clear targets for the number of reviews you’re aiming for each month and the star rating you want to achieve.

There are a lot of different sites where customers can leave reviews (Google business listings, Yelp, Bing and industry specific ones such as TripAdvisor etc.), you’ll probably want to concentrate your efforts on just a couple of places so that the effect isn’t too diluted.

The best way to get great reviews is to provide great service and products, and make it a part of your business process.

Simply ask customers to leave a review and facilitate the process for them. Many customers wouldn’t even think about writing a review on their own, but they’ll be happy to do so if asked.

What is Local Business Structured Data Markup?

Structured data markup is set up to provide information about your business in the code of your website. This helps Google and other search engines display your listings directly in the search listings page.

It’s particularly important for local businesses to use this markup so that important details such as opening hours (standard and seasonal), and department names are displayed on your listing, as well as special functions such as making an order or a reservation online.

Structured data can also be used by Google to display a “Knowledge Graph” – the information that shows up in the right-hand side of the search results for some branded searches.

You can learn more about local business structured data markup at the Google developer guide at https://support.google.com/webmasters/

Have a Great Social Media Presence

Social channels are an effective way to connect with and stay in touch with your local customers, promote your business and special offers, share new products, and acquire reviews and recommendations.

Your social media accounts should be optimised with content that includes location-specific keywords. You can geotag images and promote local events, providing further signals to search engines that you have a presence in your targeted local area.

Use Both Online and Offline Marketing Strategies

While your online marketing strategy is important, you shouldn’t totally ignore your offline marketing strategies.

Local networking, referral marketing and relationship building are just as important for growing your business locally. These can also help boost your online strategy by attracting organic links to your site from other local businesses.

In reality, communicating with your customers helps you to learn more about them. Through this, you can serve them better and target them more effectively online.

Encourage your customers to follow you on social media, sign up to your mailing list, leave reviews, and recommend your business.

This helps to build customer loyalty and grow your customer base, alongside your on and offline presence.

In Summary

Local SEO is not easy, it takes work! There are a lot of factors that go into an effective local SEO strategy and it can be tricky juggling all the pieces.

If you feel a bit lost or simply don’t have the time or resources to invest in SEO, you should consider hiring a local SEO expert who can plan and carry out an effective strategy that will result in your business website bringing in more traffic from local searches.

To find out more or discuss local SEO packages, get in touch today.

Tell me… Can you see how Local SEO could benefit your business? Does the thought of implementing it yourself make you feel overwhelmed? If you’d like to learn more about how we can help, we’d love to hear from you and be sure to grab a copy of our Free Guide to expert SEO Strategies by clicking on the image below.

https://successstream.com.au/your-seo-s-guide/trategy

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#NyrieRoos #SEO #Localsearch

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bodylovepilatesstudios · 1 year

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Pilates classes sydney intensity workouts for Pregnant ladies

Yoga and Pilates specially designed for Pregnant ladies, Pilates classes sydney can helps you to watch your baby's movements and kicks by doing pilates and yoga.Exercises are suitable for your changing body as high-intensity workouts may no longer be prescribed.They can monitor and treat your condition and modify your exercise programme for the best possible outcome for your delivery time. Pilates can improve body flexibility and strength of your body. It aims improve your movement and mental health too. Pilates is a full-body exercise method that will help everything better for Pregnant ladies. Which measures things like steadiness, fastness, and mobility, to the ladies. Taking Pilates classes sydney is a good way to expand your fitness horizons.Pilates is very adaptable which you unquestionably can do it in a gym or studio.If at home exercise is more your jam, or even if you just want to adjust yourself to the exercise type before joining a public class.

#online pilates classes sydney #pilates classes sydney

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newstfionline · 7 years

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Parenting the Instagram generation

Michael B. Farrell, Jessica Mendoza, CS Monitor, August 13, 2017

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIF.--Jake Lee, a tanned California teenager in baggy shorts and a T-shirt, is lounging on the floor of his parents’ midcentury home. They live in a suburban Silicon Valley enclave of tech workers, cyber-savvy kids, and the occasional Google self-driving car that whirs past along pristine, eucalyptus-lined streets. He flicks through his iPhone, his fingers moving with the speed and dexterity of a jazz pianist, as he answers the sporadic text message.

“I’m on social media every waking moment of my life,” he says, with no particular pride. “I could be, like, Snapchatting and Instagram messaging the same person at the same time.”

Equidistant between the headquarters of Apple and Facebook, two of the world’s biggest tech companies, the Lee household is something of a petri dish for the way technology has altered American family life. Since it debuted the device a decade ago, Apple has sold more than 1.2 billion iPhones.

Facebook reached the mark of 2 billion users per month in June. Together, both companies have shaped an entire generation of young people tethered to their devices.

The three Lee teens--Jake, age 18; Sydney, 16; and Maddi, 13--all have iPhones. They consume a steady diet of social media. Selfies, hashtags, emojis, YouTube celebrities, and memes fill their days and nights. They’re admitted jocks--water polo and soccer players--so they have only so much time to stare at screens. But it’s still a big part of their lives.

Maddi sticks mostly to Instagram, the photo-sharing app. “Facebook is for old people,” she says. Sydney has 574 Instagram followers but says she’s not as obsessed as many of her friends. She prefers Snapchat, the popular image messaging app, because “that’s just where all my friends are.” In addition to Instagram, Jake had a brief flirtation with the dating app Tinder. This ended when his mom made him delete it.

Like most kids, they’ve had missteps. Jake sheepishly admits to getting in trouble for saying things he shouldn’t have--usually to girls or while joking with friends. There was the time Sydney posted a photo of herself on Instagram in a sports bra. It didn’t seem like a big deal at the time; after all, she’s a swimmer and lifeguard. But drama ensued. One of Jake’s friends noticed and sent him the photo, saying, “Oh, dude, look at what your sister sent me!” It became a thing. “She was humiliated and cried,” says Vickie Lee, the Lee teens’ mom, who perpetually lectures her kids on the potential hazards of social media.

Earlier this year, she hosted a parents’ class on technology and safety at Maddi’s Los Altos, Calif., charter school. She’s keenly aware that a wrong move--a misguided text, an inappropriate photo, a harmful or angry chat--can have devastating consequences. These days, she says, “technology is part of your sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll talk you have with your kids.”

Her big concern is that there’s no delete button once something goes out on social media. An embarrassing picture can haunt a teen for what might seem like a lifetime. “There are times in your life when you want to redefine yourself,” she says. “And with social media, you can’t redefine yourself. Your past just follows you around.”

Vickie and her husband, Jody, are trying to do what most parents in the United States--and perhaps the world--are trying to do: raise their kids responsibly in the era of Snapchat and Instagram. Can it be done--can kids today be persuaded to actually talk rather than text? Can they be encouraged to let go of the virtual world--occasionally--and engage in the real one? Can they stop posting selfies long enough--please!--to think of someone else?

The answer is yes. But there are bound to be some anxious moments for parents along the way, and teens have a few things to say about what grown-ups don’t get.

Today, getting a smartphone is a rite of passage for American tweens and teens. It’s arguably more important to them than having a driver’s license or voting (50 percent of eligible Americans between ages 18 and 29 voted in November 2016, while 98 percent of people in the US between 18 and 24 own smartphones).

Signing up for Instagram, which is owned by Facebook, is another milestone. It’s often the beginning of kids’ digital self-expression, and the way they stay connected with friends. Downloading Snapchat, the wildly popular app that lets users exchange messages and images that self-destruct within seconds, is the digital equivalent of the first date--that moment of freedom when kids begin a life without parents listening in.

Those two apps are now the most popular among teens. Seventy-six percent of Americans ages 13 to 17 use Instagram and 75 percent use Snapchat, according to a recent poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. But the ubiquity of social media doesn’t mean kids begin their digital journey knowing how to navigate the complexities of constant connectivity. There’s no guidebook. There are often few limits. Social media doesn’t come with training wheels--for kids or parents.

As a result, sometimes kids get it right and sometimes wrong. Really wrong.

The news is full of troubling stories about teens and technology. In July, reports surfaced about a mysterious online game called the Blue Whale Challenge in which several apparent participants killed themselves, some broadcasting their suicides online. Across the country, police have busted up groups of middle-schoolers swapping nude photos of underage female classmates. Intense cases of cyberbullying have led to victims taking their own lives. And the web is often especially cruel to young girls, subjecting them to sexism, misogyny, and harassment.

In her book “American Girls: Social Media and the Secret Lives of Teenagers,” Vanity Fair writer Nancy Jo Sales describes the dark side of the digital world. “The culture of social media churns away, seeming to pay very little attention, so far, to the protestations of feminists or anyone who objects to its troubling aspects. And girls suffer. On a daily, sometimes hourly basis on their phones, they encounter things which are offensive and potentially damaging to their well-being and sense of self-esteem.”

All of that’s deeply disturbing. But even though the troubling parts of digital life garner the most media attention, causing panic among parents, it’s not what’s happening on most kids’ devices. Teens will more likely see smiling or goofy selfies, an endless string of heart emojis, or some funny or banal comment. Even though it’s through a filter of technology, which can seem more like an appendage than an appliance, the connections kids seek are deeply human and normal, say experts. Researchers, for instance, talk about the psychological boost kids get when they receive “likes” on their posts and photos.

“There’s a culture of wanting to say nice things online,” says Mia Freund Walker, a family therapist in Redwood City, Calif., and the former executive director of My Digital TAT2, a group formed in 2012 that works with teens on developing responsible digital habits.

For most teens, technology has become so omnipresent that there’s no separating digital life from real life. It’s all intertwined. In many ways, Rose Beardmore’s Instagram is typical of a lot of other kids’. It’s full of smiling friends, flowers, clouds, purple night skies, and the beach. The comments on her 29 posts are punctuated with hearts, smiley faces, and compliments.

“THIS IS SO CUTE,” wrote one of her friends. Most are of this variety: “THIS PHOTO IS GREAT .” For Rose, a 14-year-old from Lunenburg, Mass., Instagram is the idealized version of herself. She limits it to “all my photos that look good.”

Like many other teenage girls, she maintains another account just for her closest friends, known as a “fake Instagram” or “finsta.” That’s where “I update people. I post pictures that aren’t that pretty,” she says. It includes sillier or more candid shots. “The real [Instagram account] is a lot more manicured. It’s not the mirror image of the person who owns it; it’s the prettier twin.”

It’s not uncommon for girls to begin cultivating or shaping their identities this way. On social media, they can decide what kind of image they portray to different communities. “You can curate this perfected image of yourself,” says Havi Wolfson Hall, a clinical social worker and therapist in Palo Alto, Calif. “We always want to present our best selves.” Technology just accelerates that basic human desire, she says, making it happen at a rapid speed and on an astonishing scale.

Inside her office at Parents Place, part of Jewish Family and Children’s Services, a poster asks kids: “How are you feeling today?” The choices come in yellow emoji faces--happy, sad, embarrassed, silly. Ms. Hall operates in an upscale part of the city--around the corner from private preschools, a Pilates studio and spa, and a Whole Foods. Many of the families she treats work in the tech sector across Silicon Valley.

Of course, some of them are building the very devices that get kids and adults hooked on screens to begin with. Yet they are worried about the lasting effects of technology on their children, too. The late Apple chief executive officer Steve Jobs once told a New York Times reporter that his kids hadn’t used an iPad. “We limit how much technology our kids use at home.” But all too often, Hall says, parents who complain that their kids are addicted to social media have trouble controlling their own technology use. “Nine out of 10 times, the kids are learning from their parents,” she says.

The tech industry has become incredibly adept at figuring out how to keep kids using their products. Companies such as Facebook and Snapchat are well aware that young people are naturally wired to share, seeking validation from friends in the form of “likes” and comments.

According to Common Sense Media, a nonprofit that aims to help guide kids and parents through today’s media landscape, the average teen spends nine hours a day consuming media for enjoyment, most of which is on a screen. And tweens (ages 8 to 12) use media almost seven hours a day.

The power inherent in the industry was on full display recently at VidCon, a glitzy five-day conference in Anaheim, Calif., that brought together many of the world’s biggest tech companies and the most recognizable figures on social media. “Influencers,” as they’re known in industry-speak, may only be internet famous but they are a powerful lure to keep kids staring at their screens. VidCon was full of tweens and teens eager to see their favorite internet celebrities.

Amel and Abby, both age 15, from Pasadena and Glendale, Calif., respectively, wanted to see YouTube personalities Joey Graceffa (a longtime video blogger and reality TV star with 7.9 million YouTube subscribers) and Liza Koshy (an actress with 10.3 million subscribers). The video-sharing site has become a powerful cultural force among teens. Ninety-six percent of teenagers use the platform, according to the AP-NORC poll, and 78 percent said they visited YouTube at least once a day.

“I either follow celebrities or YouTube celebrities or friends,” says Abby, pulling out her phone to display her Instagram profile. “I don’t usually follow strangers; I feel like there’s no point and it’s kind of weird.”

Amel follows “idols, celebrities, my friends. I also follow people who inspire body empowerment, who send a message of just ‘love your body, no matter what.’ “ They’re both regularly on YouTube, Instagram, and Snapchat.

“Sure, I’ll get mad if someone unfollows me,” says Amel. “Like, what? Why did you unfollow me?” But, she says, she doesn’t start “crying on the floor” if it happens.

The culture of online celebrity has also spawned a growing number of otherwise average--and nonfamous--families who have essentially taken to filming much of their daily lives and posting it to YouTube. These so-called vloggers are vying for celebrity status on the web, and the advertising dollars that can come from amassing millions of subscribers. The 12 top-earning YouTube stars of 2016 collected a total of more than $70 million.

Presley Alexander, age 12, and her dad, Brian, launched their YouTube channel ActOutGames in 2012. Today, they have more than 20,000 subscribers. To date, they’ve posted a video every day for four straight years. On vacation once at the Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve in Colorado, Mr. Alexander drove 45 minutes to get a cellphone signal.

Posting your family’s life on the web for the world to see--and comment on--may seem extreme to many people, but Brian says it doesn’t mean he’s a lenient parent. “I’m that dad who’ll read her Skype sometimes,” he says. “I’ll listen to her conversations, and if she’s saying something weird I’ll be like, ‘Hey, what are you talking about?’

“We are super involved and pay attention to what’s happening,” he notes. “Just because we’re on there doesn’t mean that we’ve ceded this ground.”

Indeed, experts say there are many different ways to be a good digital parent. The key, says Amanda Lenhart, a senior research scientist for AP-NORC who co-wrote the report on kids and social media, is to remember that it’s not “about the technology. It has to be about the values and baseline levels of respect.”

Some parents take a stricter approach in reining in their kids. Aaron Turner of Idaho Falls, Idaho, lets his two teenage daughters, Abby and Katy, use Instagram, but he keeps a close eye on their accounts.

Mr. Turner is a mobile phone security expert. In other words, he knows how to hack smartphones. He uses his knowhow to eavesdrop on whatever his daughters are doing on their phones. If they download an app that’s not allowed--he’s outlawed Snapchat--he’ll know about it.

“My clear message to my daughters that I’m watching their feeds and looking at their private content has served as a protection to them,” says Turner. “When boys start a conversation that may be heading the wrong direction, they just tell them, ‘My dad looks at this,’ and that nips stuff in the bud.”

There was the time, though, that Abby got curious about Snapchat. “I just downloaded it because my friends were using it,” she says. “Everyone has Snapchat.”

It didn’t stay on her phone long. Her dad quickly noticed and deleted it.

Still, Turner is a big believer in the power of social media. He travels a lot for his computer security work and it helps him stay connected with his family. And even he admits you can’t control what kids will do or say--or see--on social media.

“In this new world, there’s no such thing as control. There’s coaching, and there’s monitoring,” he says. “If you’ve raised good kids this is not an issue. Technology does not change your standards and values.”

Other parents place a premium on talking to their kids about social media rather than curtailing their use of devices and apps. The Lees of Silicon Valley, for instance, don’t have rules about having iPhones at the dinner table. Their approach is to make the kinds of conversations they have on their devices part of their normal family conversations at home, in the car going to swim practice, or while they’re on vacation. They prioritize openness about social media over erecting a virtual fence.

But there may be limits to how much their kids will share with them. Jake will be starting college this fall at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind. He’s already told his mom they won’t be friends on Snapchat. Now that he’s about to become a college freshman, it’s not the place for talking to moms, he told her.

Jake’s declaration of independence points up another truism about social media use: At some point, kids have to decide for themselves where to draw the digital line.

Some are already pulling back from total immersion. In her most recent research, Ms. Lenhart found that at least 58 percent of teens who use social media were curtailing their time online, in part because of parental strictures but also because they simply wanted a break.

Those findings reflect what the founders of My Digital TAT2 have seen, too. “They’ll have tech-free zones,” says Gloria Moskowitz-Sweet, a licensed social worker and one of the cofounders of the group. “We are seeing kids come up with their own rules and regulations.”

Still, when you talk to teens, almost all dispute their parents’ assumptions that social media has become their entire world in the first place. They chafe at the assertion that teens prefer digital connections to personal ones. For instance, Rose, the 14-year-old from Massachusetts, says she’s constantly chatting with her friends about hanging out #IRL (in real life). “We’ll keep saying, ‘I can’t wait to see you. To hug you.’ We like face-to-face communication more,” she says. “[Parents] tend to think that the importance of [social media] in our lives is inherently a bad thing. It’s called social media for a reason.”

After Ms. Sales’s book on girls and social media came out in 2016, alarming parents nationwide, Ms. Moskowitz-Sweet co-wrote a piece in the San Francisco Chronicle that aimed to counter that fear. “Our kids are living out loud in a digital culture,” she wrote. “Social media naturally heightens the challenges associated with adolescence. Teens are telling us they want parents to trust their use of social media and give them freedom to explore, take risks, and make mistakes.”

Dangers do exist online, of course. But experts say the key is not to overreact and place too many restrictions on technology. It’s far better to understand social media and how children are actually using it. As John Palfrey and Urs Gasser put it in their book, “Born Digital: How Children Grow Up in a Digital Age”:

“[As] a culture of fear emerges around the online environment, we must put these real threats into perspective; our children and future generations have tremendous opportunities in store for them, and not in spite of the digital age, but because of it.”

#children and technology #children and social media #social media and children #Snapchat #Instagram

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